Tent

ABSTRACT

A tent having a roof formed in two sections hinged together to enable the sections to be superimposed one on the other to provide a container for the tent walls and tent legs. Each roof section is formed of a shape-retaining material such as a moulded plastics sheet.

Umted States Patent 1 1 1 1 3,843,190 Julian Oct. 22, 1974 [54] TENT 2,627,865 2/1953 Mitchell 135/4 A 1 1 Inventor Eric William Julian, Willowbwok 3:333:23? $1132? 122133113313: 5313122 3 Cottage Oundle Weldon, 2,930,051 3/1960 Kampmeier 224/421 '13 g n 3,191,829 6/1965 Davis 224/421 E [22] Filed: June 9, 1972 Primary Examiner-Philip Goodman [21] Appl 261321 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brisebois & Kruger [52] US. Cl. 296/23 R, 224/421 E, l/l R 51 1111.01 860p 3/34 [571 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 224/4207, 42.08, 42.1; A tent having a roof f d in two Sections hinged 296/23 23 23 A; 52/641 gether to enable the sections to be superimposed one 73; l 4 A; /231 R1231 A on the other to provide a container for the tent walls and tent legs. Each roof section is formed of a shape- [56] References cued retaining material such as a moulded plastics sheet.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,543,684 2/1951 Blanchard 135/1 R 10 6 Draw Figures PATENTEDUETZZIQM 334311-90 sum 10! 3 Y SHEET 2 OF 3 PATENTED GET 2 2 I974 PATENTEnum 22 1am SHEET 3 0F 3 FIG-4.

TENT

This invention relates to tents.

It is an aim of the invention to provide a tent of improved construction to permit pitching and striking the tent with speed and ease.

According to the invention, there is provided a tent having a roof formed in two sections hinged together to enable the sections to be superimposed one on the other to provide a container for the tent walls and tent legs, each roof section being formed of a shaperetaining material.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, in conjunction with the drawings accompanying the provisional specification, in which:

FIG. 1 shows in perspective view a preferred embodiment of tent according to the present invention mounted on the roof of a motor vehicle and pivoted to a position ready for pitching of the tent;

FIG. 2 shows the tent of FIG. 1 with the container partially opened;

FIG. 3 shows the tent of FIG. 1 with the tent roof opened-out and two end legs pivoted down;

FIG. 4 shows in part cut away one of the roof sections of the tent of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows diagrammatically the way in which the canvas walls are secured to the roof sections of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 shows diagrammatically the mounting of the tent legs on the roof sections of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the tent includes a roof of a shape-retaining material, such as moulded glass fibre or vacuum moulded plastics sheet, and defined by two similar sections 12a hinged together at abutting edges; the sections 12a when superimposed one on the other provide a container 12b for the canvas walls 14, inner tent (not shown), tent legs 16, and possibly other items of camping equipment. The tent legs are pivotally mounted by means of pivot pins 18 at the edge of the sections 12a and are each collapsible about a central joint along its length to facilitate storage in the container. Each tent leg has a portion 16a which extends a short distance beyond the leg pivot so as to extend from the container 12b when the container is in its closed condition, and which has a function to be described later; the moulded sections l2a have recesses 120 to accommodate portions 16a when the tent is erect.

The canvas walls 14 are hung from between each roof section and a light frame 20 secured in spaced relationship to the inside of each of the roof sections 12a by any suitable means such as glass fibre straps 22; conveniently the canvas walls have an open upper seam which extends between the parts 120 and the frame 20, and which receives a thin rod 23 or cord, such as of nylon to prevent removal of the canvas walls from the roof section.

The container 12b is preferably carried on the motor vehicle by means of a cradle 24 having means (not shown) to mount it on a vehicle roof-rack 26 pivotal movement about a vertical axis relative to the mounting means; the container is supported in the cradle by four cradle-support surfaces (not shown) which each receive a respective one of the portions 16a of the tent legs 16 extending from the container.

To pitch the tent, the container in its cradle is first pivoted (see FIG. 1) from its travelling position on the vehicle to a position overhanging the side of the vehicle and the container is opened (see FIG. 2) by pivoting it relative to the cradle and aligning the roof sections 12a which are then spaced from the vehicle and in the required pitching position. The pair of tent legs remote from the car are then pivoted downwardly (see FIG. 3) from their clipped position in one of the roof sections to engage the ground, and a similar operation is then carried out on the pair of tent legs nearest the motor vehicle, after removing portions 16a from the cradle, and on the pair of central tent legs. The canvas walls can then be dropped from their stowed position in the roof sections 12a and be secured by any suitable means to the tent legs and to the ground. The tent legs stand outside the walls of the tent.

To strike the tent the above described operations are carried out in a reverse order.

The cradle may be omitted if desired; the container 12b would then be secured for transit directly to the roof rack of the motor vehicle or by some other suitable means.

The roof sections may each be constructed of two spaced rigid shells between which is a foamed material to provide lightness coupled with rigidity and a high degree of heat insulation.

In an alternative embodiment the roof sections are each made, not of a rigid material, but of a flexible material, such as canvas or a plastics material, attached to a rigid roof frame. In such an embodiment the roof sections maintain their shape owing to the flexible material being attached to the rigid frame and are thus considered as being formed of a shape-retaining material.

What I claim is:

l. A self supporting tent comprising a roof, sidewalls, and legs, said roof consisting of two sections, each section being shape-retaining and non-collapsible in itself and the sections being hinged together to define a container dimensioned to receive said walls and legs when said sections are swung together, means for connecting said legs to said roof in a position supporting said roof when said sections are swung apart, and means for connecting said walls to said roof.

2. A tent as claimed in claim 1 in which each roof section is made of a rigid non-collapsible framework defining the outline of the roof section and a flexible material covering and attached to said framework.

3. A tent as claimed in claim 1 in which each roof section is a plastic moulding.

4. A tent as claimed in claim 1 in which each roof section comprises two rigid shells with a foam material positioned therebetween.

5. A tent as claimed in claim 1 in which said legs are pivotally connected to said sections.

6. A tent as claimed in claim 1 in which each tent leg is collapsible about a joint between its ends to facilitate storage in said container.

7. A tent as claimed in claim 1 comprising a light frame secured in spaced relation to the inside of each section, said tent walls being of canvas and suspended between said frames and sections from elongated means too thick to pass between said frames and sections.

8. A tent as claimed in claim 1 comprising a cradle for carrying the container and means for mounting said cradle on a vehicle roof rack, said cradle being tion and the container is swung relative to the cradle, the roof sections are speced from the vehicle.

10. A tent as claimedin claim 8 in which one end of each tent leg projects from said container when said roof sections are folded to form said container. 

1. A self supporting tent comprising a roof, sidewalls, and legs, said roof consisting of two sections, each section being shape-retaining and non-collapsible in itself and the sections being hinged together to define a container dimensioned to receive said walls and legs when said sections are swung together, means for connecting said legs to said roof in a position supporting said roof when said sections are swung apart, and means for connecting said walls to said roof.
 2. A tent as claimed in claim 1 in which each roof section is made of a rigid non-collapsible framework defining the outline of the roof section and a flexible material covering and attached to said framework.
 3. A tent as claimed in claim 1 in which each roof section is a plastic moulding.
 4. A tent as claimed in claim 1 in which each roof section comprises two rigid shells with a foam material positioned therebetween.
 5. A tent as claimed in claim 1 in which said legs are pivotally connected to said sections.
 6. A tent as claimed in claim 1 in which each tent leg is collapsible about a joint between its ends to facilitate storage in said container.
 7. A tent as claimed in claim 1 comprising a light frame secured in spaced relation to the inside of each section, said tent walls being of canvas and suspended between said frames and sections from elongated means too thick to pass between said frames and sections.
 8. A tent as claimed in claim 1 comprising a cradle for carrying the container and means for mounting said cradle on a vehicle roof rack, said cradle being mounted for movement relative to the mounting means between a travelling position and a position overhanging the side of the vehicle.
 9. A tent as claimed in claim 8 in which the container is pivotally mounted near one edge of the cradle, so that when the cradle is moved to its overhanging position and the container is swung relative to the cradle, the roof sections are speced from the vehicle.
 10. A tent as claimed in claim 8 in which one end of each tent leg projects from said container when said roof sections are folded to form said container. 